A woman from Newclare, Johannesburg, has been charged with attempted murder and child abuse after a viral video showed her allegedly instructing her young son to smoke from what appeared to be a drug pipe.
The woman appeared before the Johannesburg Magistrate's Court on Thursday, July 31, alongside three men who were reportedly present during the incident. The footage, which surfaced on social media earlier this week, sparked widespread outrage and led to swift action by the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD).
According to authorities, the video captured the child—initially believed to be three years old, but later confirmed to be four—lighting what appeared to be drugs in a broken bottle for his mother, who then encouraged him to smoke. All of this took place in the presence of other adults.
“The video clearly shows the child being guided and encouraged to inhale the substance, which constitutes a serious act of child endangerment,” the JMPD said in a statement.
The mother was arrested Tuesday night following a community tip-off. Two of the men were taken into custody the same evening, while the third was apprehended the following day. During interrogation, the suspects allegedly confessed to using Mandrax and to filming the disturbing scene. Police also seized their mobile phones as part of the investigation.
The child has since been taken to a place of safety after receiving medical evaluation at a hospital.
Police spokesperson Brigadier Brenda Muridili confirmed that the case is being handled by the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) Unit, which operates across Gauteng Province.
“The FCS Unit has 22 dedicated teams covering 146 police stations in the province, with detectives on standby around the clock to respond to such cases,” Muridili said.
All four accused individuals have indicated their intention to apply for Legal Aid. The court has postponed the case to August 4 for further proceedings.
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